Chad Ford Mock Draft 5.0: Raptors still selecting Jan Vesely

Analysis: Bryan Colangelo could go a number of directions here. He has strong interest in both Brandon Knight and Kemba Walker. If Knight is on the board, I think he doesn't get past here. If just Walker is here, the question for Colangelo is what to do with Leandro Barbosa and Jerryd Bayless. Both players are similar to Walker.

The Raptors could go with an international player such as Kanter, Valanciunas, Vesely or Bismack Biyombo. Of the four, sources say, Vesely is the highest on their board.

Too much comparison to Kirilenko have pushed this kid up. I personally am not sold. He's raw and skinny. I'm not sold, period.

“The saving of our world from pending doom will come, not through the complacent adjustment of the conforming majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming minority.” - Martin Luther King

Is it possible that Brian just doesn't want Kanter? Has he ever done this in the past, where he appears to be really high on someone and then ends up taking someone else even if the perceived person he wanted was available? It's hard to say for the last two drafts because he just got the best two that were available to him at that time. Both Derozan and Davis were steals.

I don't understand why he'd be high on Vesely, when he can't really shoot the 3 or play D, and if we ended up with a wing, we'd need one that can do one or the other (or preferably both). Plus wouldn't Vesely need a buy out as well?

Is it possible that Brian just doesn't want Kanter? Has he ever done this in the past, where he appears to be really high on someone and then ends up taking someone else even if the perceived person he wanted was available? It's hard to say for the last two drafts because he just got the best two that were available to him at that time. Both Derozan and Davis were steals.

I don't understand why he'd be high on Vesely, when he can't really shoot the 3 or play D, and if we ended up with a wing, we'd need one that can do one or the other (or preferably both). Plus wouldn't Vesely need a buy out as well?

Nothing was ever said about Davis from what I recall because he wouldn't work out here and no one thought he'd slip to 13.

I recall the Raps being very high on DD publicly.

If there is interest in Kanter, it is best to keep it hush-hush. MIN/UTA/CLE could all throw a wrench in things.

I don't know why Ford seems so set on us picking Vesely. I haven't really read many other opinions that agreed. Most seem to think Walker and Knight are the most likely selections, and that if Kanter falls he may get picked by us (though as many people point out, there doesn't seem to be a lot of love for him from the Raps).
I also have read a couple of places that we're high on Leonard and Vesely, but I think they would be targets if we get a lower pick. It may be that Ford hears the Raps like him and want him, but again, I doubt he'd use the 5th pick on him. If BC's coaching move was partially about accelerating results, he shouldn't draft a player who may not have more of an impact than James Johnson as a SF, or Davis and Amir at the PF. He could struggle to find minutes.

I wouldnt put any stock in overt announcements by teams...especially this close to the draft. But Kanter not appearing anywhere as the 5th choice is curious. Either The Raps have been convinced he cant play centre or they are masking their intentions really well. The Vesely choice by Ford (consistently) is bothersome. He was on the Biyombo trip which Colangelo attended alongwith some other gms. I am sure there must have been a few conversations all around.

The fact that he didn't pull his name out leads me to think that perhaps Jonas has been made a promise by someone. If he were to fall to the teens it wouldn't hurt the team drafting him as much to pay their portion of the buyout, it also wouldn't be as risky for that team because they probably weren't expecting to get a player there who could contribute right away to begin with.

I'm surprised Valanciunas is still so high with his buyout situation. Does Ford mention it?

Also, DraftEXpress' latest has the exact same top 4, so I wonder if things are solidifying. NBA.com's consensus mock draft also has Knight at the #3, but Kanter and Valanciunas going 4 and 5.

I can't wait for this thing to be done.

Here's what he says about him:

Analysis: I've had Kanter in this position since Mock Draft 1.0, but it's time to make the biggest change I've made to our board. From what I gather, the Cavs appear to be cooling a bit on Kanter and warming to Valanciunas.

Vesely and Leonard are in the picture too and would both be good fits. But this may be the Cavs' only chance to draft a legit 7-foot center. Valanciunas is raw, but he has big upside.

Ford has been hyping Vesely more than anyone I can think of. During the combine, he talked about him as if he was in a league of his own. That is a lot of praise invested in Vesley. I honestly think he was being foolish by using such strong language to hammer his point and now he needs to stand by it.

So his ego is in a position where he needs to find Vesely a suitor. None of the other clubs are talking about him, nor are their fans. So in this situation, its easy to use sports bias in your favour and make us be the ones craving this euro prospect.